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Talking Points: November 4 - 18, 2009

This week, the USC US-China Institute newsletter looks ahead to Obama's trip to China. As always, the newsletter offers information about China-related events across North America.

November 7, 2009

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Talking PointsNovember 4 - 18, 2009

President Barack Obama is heading to China. He’ll be meeting Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders November 15-18. Three issues loom large: the uncertain economic situation, worries over nuclear weapons proliferation, and the need to act to stem global warming.

On the economic front, trade tensions have increased since Obama and Hu met in April. On Thursday, the US imposed tariffs ranging from 24% to 37% on China’s largest exporters of steel pipe. American authorities asserted the move was necessary to stop the firms from “dumping” their product on the market at prices below their cost of production. Chinese officials call the tariffs discriminatory and protectionist. The imposition of steel pipe tariffs follows the decision in September to levy 35% tariffs on Chinese-made tires. Chinese officials responded to that measure by launching an investigation into the export practices of US automakers. US-China trade totaled $226 billion through the first eight months of 2009, a drop of 15% from 2008.

As for weapons proliferation, Jeff Bader, Obama’s National Security Council advisor for Asia, said Friday that “[w]e're less interested in process than we are in outcome.” He said that if North Korea demonstrated a commitment to the six party (NK, S. Korea, China, US, Russia, and Japan) talks, then the US is open to meeting directly with North Korea in Pyongyang or elsewhere. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il expressed willingness to reenter the six party talks during a visit to Pyongyang by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao. An International Crisis Group report issued on Nov. 2 said “China prioritises stability over denuclearisation … It therefore continues to shield North Korea from more punitive measures, including stronger economic sanctions, for its provocative behaviour.” Bader, rejected this assessment, saying, “I have no doubt that the Chinese are serious when they say they will not tolerate a nuclear North Korea in the long run. That is their strategic objective.” Clearly, the Obama administration expects and appreciates Chinese cooperation in working to eradicating the threat posed by North Korea’s weapons program.

With regard to climate change, the two countries have made negligible progress towards an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The US has not agreed to a cap on its carbon emissions and won’t without a similar commitment from China. Todd Stern, the chief US negotiator asserts that developing nations will contribute the most to increases in emissions. Stern insists, "[n]o country holds the fate of the earth more in its hands than China. Not one." The Chinese respond that, given their pressing need to raise living standards, they shouldn’t be expected to match the US in capping or reducing emissions. Between them, the Chinese and Americans produce 40% of the world’s greenhouse gases, so cooperation from both is necessary if the challenge of global warming is to be adequately addressed. In Beijing, the task for Chinese and American leaders is to determine whether the other is likely to move far enough to permit both to sign on to an United Nations agreement in Copenhagen in December.

The USC US-China Institute has assembled video, text, and statistical resources to aid in understanding the issues Obama and Hu will address and on the positions the two sides have taken.Click here to see them.

It’s been a year since Barack Obama was elected president and there remains intense interest in him in Asia. A 2009 Pew survey taken before the recent trade frictions, showed that 47% of Chinese had a favorable attitude toward the US. In 2007, only 34% had such an attitude. In 2008, just 30% of Chinese told Pew they thought President George W. Bush “would do the right thing in world affairs.” In 2009, 62% of Chinese said they thought Obama “would do the right thing.”

Candidate Obama was famous for his intense use of his BlackBerry cell phone. To the left, the Chinese maker of a knock-off, a BlockBerry, implies presidential endorsement. (Thanks to George Chen for alerting us to this ad.)

Bottom, Left: a Japanese company's Mr. Obama "Yes We Can" Halloween mask was for sale last week in Taipei.

Bottom, Right: Say It Like Obama is a best-seller on both sides of the Taiwan strait. This copy was for sale last week in Taipei.

Click on any of the images to see a larger version.

Even Obama’s normally low-profile half-brother Mark Obama Ndesandjo came forward this week with something to sell: his self-published autobiographical novel, Nairobi to Shenzhen. Educated at Brown, Stanford, and Emory, Ndesangjo has lived in China since 2002. He said he’s eager to see his brother in China and to introduce him to his Chinese wife, whom he says is Obama's biggest fan.

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Later today, James Benn offers the annual Sammy Lee Lecture at UCLA on Buddhism and Chinese tea culture. On Monday, specialists from the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Defense Resources Council look at US-China climate change negotiations. At USC on Thursday, we feature a presentation by UC Irvine’s Dorothy Solinger on China’s urban poor and the government’s “minimum livelihood guarantee.” The following week Taiwan director Tsai Ming-liang comes to USC to screen Rebels of the Neon God and Martin Jacques will be here to discuss his controversial new book, When China Rules the World. Details about these and other events are below and in the calendar section of our website.

Finally, two reminders. First, the deadline to apply to serve as a student ambassador at the USA Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo is November 15. All materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by then. Second, our student-driven web magazine, US-China Today, has several compelling slide shows and interactive graphics. The currently featured slide show looks at street life across China. Check it and earlier slide shows out at uschina.usc.edu. More recent shows can even be viewed full screen.

11/13/2009: Wartime Culture and EconomyUC BerkeleyIEAS Conference Room, 2223 Fulton Street, 6th Floor, Berkeley, CATime: 9:00AM - 5:30PMUC Berkeley presents a one-day conference on the various aspects of culture and economy that pertain to the daily lives of the Chinese people during times of war.

11/05/2009: Business Lobbying in ChinaIndiana UniversityAddress: Ballantine Hall 006Cost: FreeTime:6:00PM - 7:00PMThe Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy presents the second in its series of lectures presented entirely in Chinese.

11/06/2009: The Evolving Cultural Identity of Chinese American ArtistsMuseum of Chinese in America (MOCA)Address: 215 Centre Street, New York, New York 10013Phone: 212-619-4785$15 (general public); $12 (student and senior); $10 (MOCA member)Advance registration requiredTony-award playwright David Henry Hwang will moderate a discussion on the changes of the cultural identity of Chinese-American artists.

11/09/2009: China, Law, and Copenhagen: CFR and NRDC Discuss725 Park Avenue, New York, NYCost: $11 nonmembers; $7 Asia Society members and studentsTime: 8:00AM - 9:30AMChinese legal expert Jerome Cohen brings together a panel of leading experts on U.S.-China climate policy to discuss the run-up to Copenhagen and the current state of U.S.-China environmental relations.11/09/2009: CEO Forum with Gary Hirshberg of Stonyfield Farm725 Park Avenue, New York, NYCost: $50 members and students, $75 nonmembersTime: 12:00PM - 2:00PMGary Hirshberg will discuss the possibility in a change in the way China produces its food and the effect an organic China could have on world markets.11/10/2009: Shanghai Symphony OrchestraStern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall New York, New YorkTime: 8pmThe Carnegie Hall presents the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

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Things China Working Group is an informal group to explore research interest in the material networks, systems, economies, media and practices of communication pursued within China or between China and its national and international partnerships. Open only to USC graduate students and faculty.

Things China Working Group is an informal group to explore research interest in the material networks, systems, economies, media and practices of communication pursued within China or between China and its national and international partnerships. Open only to USC graduate students and faculty.